Register
Log In
Home
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
Just acquired a VERY nice 740 from a member here. A friend has one basically identical to it, both are Monson guns, both are 740s, both have the 8" slotted BA. His serial number starts out S000XXX, mine starts out 357SM000XXX. Is there any rhym or reason to how Dan Wesson settled on a numbering scheme? We were comparing the two and they are twins, except for this numbering difference. BTW, they are only about 70 numbers apart in terms of the actual serial number so I assume they were made at approximately the same time.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
I think both CF and LB have done some work on the Serial Numbering practices that Dan Wesson seems to have used, but this is not an exact science.
One possible reason for the irregularity you are seeing is that in 1983 Dan Wesson Arms re-organized as Wesson Firearms, still in family ownership and produced in Monson. I think it is possible that the serial numbering changed at that time to differentiate the products of a different company. Again, this is a guess on my part, but I think that some Dan Wesson Arms frames might have been re-numbered to make the the product of the "new"company.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
Offline
And where are the 
of this new acquisition, and its twin??
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
Moderators
November 17, 2008
Offline
The serial number thing with DW is a mystery for sure. Steve has done a great job of tracking born on dates as the info comes available, CF and I have been working on the lettering and numbering scheme but there is a lot left unknown about the whens and whys. If we had the manufacturing dates on those two guns it would go a long way to help unravel the mystery at least the timeline part anyway. In reality though the mystery of DW is part of what has helped build this forum to be the great place that it is. Of course its the great guys that hang here that truly make it great.
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
I'm having problems with text, twice I've lost it so I'll type it here.
Here are the 'twin' 740s. Mine is on the top and is pictured in its box. The barrel wrapper says June 1987. Mine is 357MS0010XX and the other one is SE0010XX. We don't know the date of manufacture of the other since he doesn't have a box or paperwork with it.
Now I have a dilema, my friend just told me he wants to sell the gun to get a Smith 500
. He is giving me first dibs if I want it. Why didn't he tell me this SOONER! Man they do look nice together, I'm going to have to see what I can do, I'd hate to break up a family.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
Offline
Thanks for the pics Scorpio, those 2 look great! I just love the slotted 8" barrels on Supermags, they look tough! Is your friend wacko or something, he wants to sell that beautiful stainless work of art to get a 500?? Well to each his own, he will regret selling that one someday.
-Lonwolf93
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
Offline
That's a bummer that he wants to sell it for a Smiff 500, hopefully you will be able to keep it in the family.
Regarding the s/n's, I am fairly certain that there is approximately a 5 year spread between those two numbers. It's a cool coincidence that the last part of the numbers are so close together. When they first started the model 40 & 740, the numbers started with "E" for blued and "SE" for stainless. For example, my blued gun is #E003925 & the barrel wrappers are dated Feb 1982. I would imagine your friend's gun was probably made very near this same time.
Steve's theory is a good one, I hope that one day we'll be able to get some solid evidence to finally be able to answer questions like this with certainty. As LB said, it's good folks here that help make this a great place to be!
Thanks for showing them off, they do look good together.
January 22, 2008
Offline
I certainly would not to a trade my 740 for a 500 Mag but hey I'm a Dan Fan what can I say!
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
My friend just asked me a loaded question, he wants to know what I think his gun is worth. I'm not sure how to answer that one. Is he asking what I would offer him for it or what I think he should expect to BE offered for it from a gun shop? I don't really NEED it so that would affect what I would offer, and I have no idea what a shop is likely to offer, afterall, they want to turn a profit when they sell it. How would you guys answer?
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
He's your friend, tell him straight up what it would be worth to you, tell him what you think it might bring on the open market.Remind him to think about the costs that might go with selling it on the open market. Shipping and transfer costs added $80 to the last gun I sold, and fortunately there were no auction fees and premiums involved.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
Well my friend is a bit ticked off. He told me that he took the gun to a big box sporting goods store that also sells Smith 500s, and they told him that they would give him $375 on trade towards a new 500 mag. He left without a 500. He tried a few smaller shops and got offers ranging from $350-$425. That is why he asked me what I thought it was worth. I told him I thought those were low ball offers since they want to make a tidy profit when they sell the gun.
I told him I'd don't really need the gun but don't let it go for $425 without talking to me first.
I think I may be opening an orphanage for unwanted Dan Wessons
.
His gun is in excellent condition, has no box, papers or spare barrel tube but has a Hogue grip and tool. I'd hate to see what a shop would tack on as profit, I'm betting better than 75%. I may have to make room in the safe.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
Offline
Scorpio, it's understandable that your buddy is irked, those prices seem low. I think that gun shops usually try for a 50-100% markup on guns they take in trade.
His Supermag looks very nice, if you decide not to go for it, keep me in mind, I haven't followed prices on them so I don't know its worth but I do know $425 is low. I have several Dans but am still Supermagless!
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
Dans Club
October 17, 2008
Offline
Well I think any Model 40 or 740 in very good condition should bring at least 650.00 plus ad more for extra barrel, tool, box.
Most dealers are going to go to the Blue Book which puts no value to Dan Wessons and add in the fact that a dealer will say it's an odd caliber.
If he puts it out on Gunbroker he would get enough to buy the S&W 500 he wants.
I just picked up a Palmer DW 740 today at my FFL.
Excellent Condition, Stainless Burris Clamp-on mount with rings, Tasco Scope, extra barrel, Hornady 357 Max 3 pc Die set. I thought 874.00 shipped was an OK buy with all the extras.
Serial# 357MS0008xx
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
SCORPIO said:
Well my friend is a bit ticked off. He told me that he took the gun to a big box sporting goods store that also sells Smith 500s, and they told him that they would give him $375 on trade towards a new 500 mag.
If it's the Big Box store I'm thinking of in PA, there is one here in CT as well. Frankly, the only time I ever asked them for a trade in value, it was so insulting that I left without saying another word. This same retailer will actually have a higher price on a used PT 1911 than on a new one that happens to be a current Weekly Special-I've seen it happen!
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
1 Guest(s)
